Buoyant propeller.



No. 633,903. Patented Sept. 26, i899, G. H. POND. M

BUOYANT PBDPELLEB.

(Appficstinn me Fab. 3, 1899.)

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No. 633,903. Patented Sept. 26, 1899 L-fi. H. POND.

BUOYANT PROPELLER.

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UNITED STATES PATENT omct.

GOLDSBURY HARDEN'POND, or ASl-IBURNHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUOYANT PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,903, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed February 3,1399. Serial No. roasts. (N0 model-l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GoLnsBURY HARDEN. POND, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Ashburnham, in the county of Worcester, in theState of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buoyant Propellers, of the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in buoyant propellers; and the objects are, first, to provide an improved track-frame or endless railway for supporting and operating the pontoons, and, second, to provide a ponwhich toon of novel and improved construction,

whereby the frictional contact on entering and leaving the water is lessened, while'at the same time the buoyant characteristics and power are increased. a

The invention therefore consists in the 'novel construction of elements or parts and their aggroupment or combination, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.- 1

a I have fully and clearly illustrated the in-' vention in the accompanying drawings,wherer Figure l is a side view of my improved buoyant propeller,showing it in operative arrangement. Fig. 2 is a side view of myimproved track-frame which supports and moves the pontoons. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken centrally through the front driving-wheels, showing the relative arrangement of parts with the pontoons in transverse sectiontoshow clearly the conformation'of the triangular bottoms. Fig, 4 is a perspective View of three of the series of pontoons hinged together by the axles of the flanged wheel, which are moved over the endless track.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the endless track or endless railway, which snp ports the load, as-is well known, and which operates the pontoons. The endless tracks are composed of duplicate frames arranged in parallel alinement with each other, two such frames arranged in parallel alinement con stituting a single endless railway and two such endless railways being used in the operation of my device or apparatus, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The

frames of the two endless railways are se curedin alinement and to each other by means of cross rails or ties 1 2. The frames are composed of upper horizontal rails 8,

lower rails 4, horizontally parallel and in vertical alinement therewith and formed with upward-curved ends 4 4f, and inclined connectingend pieces 5 5 uniting the ends of the upper rails and the ends of the curved portions of the lower rails, as seen in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2. To strengthen and support'the upper and lower rails in relative position, I use vertical posts or studs 6, suitably secured in'position and braced by bracepieces 7, substantially as seen in the drawings.

8 designates substantial sills or rails laid horizontal and extending from the end uprights to the inclined connecting pieces of the track and firmly secured in position by any suitable and wellknown means. On the track-frames thus constructed and arranged are laid and secured the rails 9 of the endless track. The frame may be made of cast or wrought irons secured together, and the track-rails may be formed integral with or constitute the upper and lower rails of the frame.

On the sills or rails 8 are arranged and secured hearing-boxes 10, located adjacent to each end of the frames, and in said boxes are journaled shafts 11 11 of the driving-wheels 12 12 mounted and disposed in their relation to the frame or-endless track so that the perimeter of their outer half will project beyond the ends of the endless track and so that the lower outerv portion will be tangential to the curved ends of the'lower'rails of the endlesstrack,substantially as'shown' in Fig. l of the drawings; This arrangement enables the endless series of pontoons to be carried around the bearing portion of'the drivingwheels without contact with the rails, thus giving whereby as the endless track is moved forward or backward the pontoons are carried down or up and into and out of the water. The flanged wheels ll 14 ,it will be perceived, are carried on the treads or faces of the upper and lower rails of the endless track. On these axles 13 are mounted and carried or supported the pontoons O,arranged end to end in endless series extending entirely around theendless railway and hinged together by suitable hinges 16, having their bearings on the axles 13, which constitute the pintles for the hinged connections, as shown in Fig. 40f the drawings. To the sides of the pontoons are secured braces 16 having bearings 12 at their lower ends to take the axles, as indicated,the pontoons being thus braced and held in alinement and against lateral displacement.

The pontoons Care of novel and particular construction. Theymay be made up of metal plates strongly secured together by rivets and of course must be airand gas tight. They consist of a rectangular body or box 17, having closed-ends 18, with tapering or triangular ends 19 and coincident tapering, slanting, or triangular bottoms 20. This particular triangular-bottom construction lessens the frictional contact with the water and also permits the more ready and easy displacement of the water when the pontoon enters the same and in like manner permits its Withdrawal at the end of the track with less resistance than attends the operation of either-square or round bottomed pontoons.

The operation of these endless-track buoyant propellers and their uses are well known. They are intended to carry the load or boat above and free from contact with the Water, thereby obviating the great frictional resistance of side pressure and retardation by impact against an inert body of water, and their operation may be stated as follows: As the endless track is moved forward the rails will travel over and under the flanged wheels, thereby successively depressing the pontoons at the front and carrying them upward at the rear, the lower series of pontoons being held relatively stationary in the water by the resistance thereof, while the upper series are moved forward by the progression of the endless track or railway.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a buoyant propeller, a track-frame for the pontoons, comprising horizontal upper rails, parallel lower rails connected thereto and having upward-curved ends, and inclined pieces uniting the ends of the upper rails and the upper ends of the curves of the lower rails, substantially as described.

2. In a buoyant propeller, a track-frame for the pontoons, comprising horizontal upper rails, parallel lower rails connected thereto and having upward curved ends, inclined pieces uniting the ends of the upper rails and the upper ends of the curved portions of the lower rails, and vertical supports between the upper and lo\vo1 lines of the .rails, substantially as described.

3. In a buoyant propeller, a track-frame comprising horizontal upper rails, parallel lower rails connected thereto, and having upward-curved ends, inclined pieces uniting the ends of the upper rails and the upper ends of the curved portions of the lower rails, driving-wheels journaled in the ends of the frame with their perimeters tangential to the curves of the lower rails, and extending beyond the ends of the frame, flanged wheels traversing the track and provided with axles projecting over and carried about the drivingwheels,and an endless series of pontoons hinged together and arranged to traverse the track, substantially as described.

4. In a buoyant propeller, a track-frame comprising horizontal upper rails, parallel lower rails connected'thereto and having upward-curved ends, inclined pieces uniting the ends of the upper rails and the upper ends of the curved portions of the lower rails, drivv in g-wheels journaled in the ends of the frame with their perimeters tangential to the curves of the lower rails and extending beyond the ends of the frame, flanged wheels traversing the track and provided with axles projecting overand carried about the driving-wheelsand an endless series of pontoons on the wheels hinged together and comprising rectangular boxes arranged end to end and formed with triangular bottoms extending the length of the bodies, substantially as described.

5. In a buoyant propeller, the combination of a supporting endless track, and a series of pontoons around the track composed of rectangular boxes having triangular bottoms extending the length of the box, and said pontoons hinged together and arranged with their ends closely adjacent, substantially as described.

6. In a buoyant propeller, the combination of endless tracks composed of horizontal upper rails, parallel lower rails connected thereto, and inclined end pieces connecting the ends of the upper rails and the ends of the curved portions of the lower rails, driving- Wheels j on rnaled in the ends of the said frame with the outer portions of their perimeters extending beyond the ends of the frames and tangential to the curves of the lower rails, flanged wheels mounted on the tracks, axles in the wheels, the ends of which extend beyond the face thereof and adapted to engage the rims of the driving-Wheels, and an endless series of pontoons carried by the axles and hinged together thereby, each pontoon consisting of a rectangular body formed or provided with a triangular bottom extending the length thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GOLDSBURY HARDEN POND.

\Vitnesses:

H. M. POND, Tnos. H. SMITH.

IIO 

